SPECIAL GUESTS
A special thank you to all our special guests
BABA ALI
Being in high demand, Ali has been travelling the world doing stand-up to a wide range of Muslim and non-Muslim audiences. He has spent the past two years travelling to over 30 cities and has performed all over the US, UK and Canada. Performing for audiences as large as 37,000 and for all ages including youth as young as nine.
BABA ALI
Standup & Live Appearances
Being in high demand, Ali has been travelling the world doing stand-up to a wide range of Muslim and non-Muslim audiences. He has spent the past two years travelling to over 30 cities and has performed all over the US, UK and Canada. Performing for audiences as large as 37,000 and for all ages including youth as young as nine, Ali has received rave reviews in the NY Times, USA Today and the LA Times as well as been featured in seven episodes of Direct TV's "The Fizz News."
What started out as a simple YouTube blog has turned into something that people all over the world are ready to hear more about, giving Ali the opportunity to travel all over the world to perform his rare one-of-a-kind stand-up.
TV & Video Blogs
In the space of only one year, Baba Ali from Ummah Films has arguably become the Muslim world's first Internet celebrity with his edgy video blogs, which has been watched by millions worldwide. Humor is a powerful emotion, and using it is indeed an art form. That's exactly what the year's most promising Muslim comedian, Baba Ali, has accomplished, taking a lighthearted approach toward Muslim-based entertainment.
Taking the Internet by storm, Baba Ali's first video blog series, "The Reminder," has been a major success with nearly five million page views on YouTube alone. His style of humor has been acclaimed as creative, witty and thought-provoking, sending a powerful message that reaches all races and religions. "My goal with my comedy is to dispel the misconceptions among not only non-Muslims, but with Muslims as well," said Baba Ali, writer-producer of the series. The stand-up style combines comedy with a serious subject matter in a way that reaches out to the hearts and minds of his audience.
Sister Sadaf JAMAL
Move N Improve Canada (MNIC) is a non-profit, proudly Canadian organization offering physical, mental and spiritual health empowerment services to youth and women, founded by Sadaf Jamal. MNIC is honored to stand for global citizenship taking sustainable initiatives to make the world more equal, all-inclusive and fair place.
SISTER SADAF JAMAL
Move N Improve Canada (MNIC) is a non-profit, proudly Canadian organization offering physical, mental and spiritual health empowerment services to youth and women, founded by Sadaf Jamal. MNIC is honored to stand for global citizenship taking sustainable initiatives to make the world more equal, all-inclusive and fair place. With this in mind, Sadaf collaborates with Investement in Youth Engagement (IYE) under Toronto Public Health (TPH), City of Toronto, Toronto/York District School Board, various shelter homes and many grassroots organizations to make culturally sensitive physical and mental health education accessible to various underrepresented community of diversity.
Founder of MNIC, Sadaf Jamal is a student at University of Toronto doing her Masters in Pastoral Studies obtaining her certification with College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and Canadian Association for Spiritual Care. She has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from University of Waterloo in Cell and Molecular Biology. She is also a certified Yoga Teacher, Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Nutrition and Wellness Coach at MNIC. Sadaf laid the foundation of MNIC in 2013 to cater to the cultural and faith sensitivities of diverse ethnic population of women to achieve their health goals in safe spaces without compromising their identity and values. MNIC encourages women and youth to be proud of their culture, faith, identity and heritage. Sportcheck Canada recognized her as a “Move Maker” in the community as she is redefining what movements mean to Canadians and she is changing the narrative around how people perceive fitness.
Sadaf has received Leading Woman Building Communities awards from House of Commons of Canada and Province of Ontario. She is awarded Jack Layton’s Award for her community services by Dr. Roz Healing Place. TPH supported MNIC’s community building initiatives with IYE grant. Sadaf has received Entering Theological Education Scholarship from University of Toronto. She has been recognized as MOVE MAKER by Sportcheck Canada.
Sadaf leads many educational workshops on improving physical, mental and spiritual health for IYE project “Turn Struggles into Strengths” financially supported by TPH. MNIC’s workshops for youth are on significant issues such as self-esteem, identity crisis, cyber bulling, social media, tobacco prevention, sexual and drug abuse, suicide and a variety of mental health topics.
MNIC’s Flexibility Fusion classes have improved its participants’ overall functionality, flexibility and mobility by reducing common aches and pain in the body. Special breathing exercises taught in classes have helped people improve mindfulness, focus, insomnia, depression, anxiety, memory loss, and breathing problems. Prenatal Yoga has helped women with smooth labor. Online classes have increased the reach of services to women.
MNIC has planned intriguing outdoor activities for ladies such as biking, walking, hiking, zip-lining, sky-diving, breathing exercises while enjoying the sunrise, running, and much more. Join us in our humble efforts of becoming an example to the world that an all-inclusive, productive initiatives are possible that turn people’s struggles into strengths through health and wellness.
She is a wife, mother, student, teacher, volunteer and a simple human being, trying to leave a beneficial social footprint after her!
BOONAA MOHAMMED
Dubbed the “voice of a generation,” Boonaa Mohammed is a critically acclaimed award winning writer and performer with accolades including a playwright residency at Theatre Passe Muraille, a short story published in a Penguin Canada anthology called “Piece by Piece” and various slam poetry titles credits including winner of the 2007 CBC Poetry Face-Off “Best New Artist” award.
BOONAA MOHAMMED
Dubbed the “voice of a generation,” Boonaa Mohammed is a critically acclaimed award winning writer and performer with accolades including a playwright residency at Theatre Passe Muraille, a short story published in a Penguin Canada anthology called “Piece by Piece” and various slam poetry titles credits including winner of the 2007 CBC Poetry Face-Off “Best New Artist” award.
His popular Youtube videos have received Millions of views to date, and as an Artist he has toured and traveled across the world, speaking alongside some of the most influential scholars and entertainers of our time. He frequently conducts writing workshops and seminars, sharing his experience and expertise in Spoken Word story-telling with mainly youth from all walks of life.
JULIO PALOMO
Julio is officially the photographer/videographer with Husna. The amazing videos you have seen from the Beach and Beyond January 2019 is done by him. He is Colombian photographer based in Nassau - The Bahamas willing to travel around the world to capture different portraits. I started photography in 2009, where I found a way to express myself through art.
JULIO PALOMO
Shaykh Sulaiman Moola
Shaykh Sulaiman Moola actively engages in events across the globe and is a favourite at RIS. He began studying the sacred sciences at an early age. After having completed the memorization of the Quran at the age of 14 in 1989, for the next seven years he went on to study the Islamic sciences which include Arabic, Tafsir, Hadith, Aqidah and Fiqh
Shaykh Sulaiman Moola
Shaykh Sulaiman Moola actively engages in events across the globe and is a favourite at RIS. He began studying the sacred sciences at an early age. After having completed the memorization of the Quran at the age of 14 in 1989, for the next seven years he went on to study the Islamic sciences which include Arabic, Tafsir, Hadith, Aqidah and Fiqh
Having studied under senior ulama from South Africa and the Indian Subcontinent and receiving ijazah from them, he went on to teach at various Madaris in South Africa including Dar al-Uloom Zakariyya.
Shaykh Sulaiman Moola currently lives in South Africa and has travelled extensively throughout the Muslim world and the West for the purpose of Dawah and teaching. Some of the countries he has visited include various Central African nations, the Middle East, United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Australia, Canada, West Indies and the U.S. His travels and lectures have been a means of great inspiration to many across the globe.